19/07/2023 - Mount Ware

 Mount Ware

A late start for Dad and I today meant that we would need to plan something fairly quick; we landed on Ware. Having done little Ware earlier in the month, Dad had a pretty decent idea of what to expect from Ware. We opted to complete the first 5km or so on bikes as it is fairly flat and that would cut down on time. Arriving to the trailhead sometime around 12pm we unloaded our bikes and got started. The portion of the trail we biked was fairly mellow, but do not be fooled into thinking it will not put you out of breath. The trail is pine covered double track that has a creek running parallel to it the whole time we followed it. It was quite evident the trail see's fairly regular use by horses, which made it slightly less enjoyable for dad and I. About 5km into the trail, after a brief mishap that led to an unnecessary creek crossing, we stashed the bikes in the forest and started the hiking portion of the day. The majority of the portion we hiked was trail that runs through the trees.

On the way up (Ware appears above Dad)

I think Dad would agree that if we did not have our GAIA up in use it would have made the hike a lot harder. The trail is hard to follow and there were times where, on the map we were directly on trail, but it was hard to believe that to be true. Overall however the trail was beautiful and ascended at a reasonable grade until the last 500m or so where it began to get steeper. On the way down Dad and I discussed whether or not the last portion should be considered a scramble. We concluded that it definitely could be considered a scramble however it was a very mild one. As you approach the final 500m you can see that to reach the summit you will need to surpass a couple of "cliff bands" which keeps things interesting. Upon cresting the cliff bands and reaching the summit you are greeted by the towering rock faces of Bluerock Mountain and Threepoint Mountain, that make up the background. 

Bluerock Mountain

The view from the summit does not disappoint and is very worth it for the amount of work you put in. I find this summit unique because you feel very close to the massive peaks that stand behind you. After some refueling in the form of an RX Bar and some water, a couple of pictures and some chit chat we decided to make our way back down the mountain. 

Summit Views

GAIA came in clutch again and shortly after leaving the summit we were back to our bikes and pedaling towards the car. Overall a very successful outing and one that did nothing but surprise us. That will be Dad's last hike before another set on so I am sure he was happy to get out as well. More to come in the next couple days...